Heat C Magloire to miss at least six weeks

Oct 11, 2008 - 5:58 PM MIAMI (Ticker) -- Miami Heat center Jamaal Magloire, who fractured his left hand during Thursday's 100-98 overtime preseason loss to the New Jersey Nets, will miss six to eight weeks, the team announced Saturday.

Magloire broke the third metacarpal bone during the third quarter of Miami's second exhibition game of the season, which was played in Paris as part of the NBA Europe Live Tour.

The 6-11, 265-pound center returned to South Florida instead of staying with the team which plays another exhibition contest against the Nets in London on Sunday.

Magloire, 30, will be re-evaluated next week. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Saturday that he could be sidelined even longer if surgery is required.

According to the newspaper, surgery will not be required if the fracture stays in place. In that case, he could return as early as late November.

Miami opens its regular season at New Jersey on October 29.

Magloire signed with Miami as a free agent on September 2, his seventh different team during his nine-year career. The Kentucky product has career averages of 8.6 points and 7.3 rebounds.

If Magloire is sidelined six weeks, he would miss 13 games. If he is out for eight weeks or longer, he would miss at least 20 contests.

Magloire's absence leaves Mark Blount, second-year player Joel Anthony and undrafted rookie free agent David Padgett battling for the starting job at center.